Respiratory Viral Infections in HSCT Recipients

Key Insights from a Prospective Study

Respiratory viral infections pose a significant threat to haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients, contributing to considerable morbidity and mortality. In a prospective study of 100 HSCT patients followed over 18 months, 318 episodes of acute respiratory infections were recorded—252 in autologous and 66 in allogeneic recipients. Among the 158 episodes with sample collection, 38.6% tested positive on qRT-PCR for common respiratory viruses including Rhinovirus, Parainfluenza virus (PIV), human-Metapneumovirus (hMPV), Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Adenovirus, and Influenza. Rhinovirus emerged as the most frequently detected pathogen. Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) were seen in 94 episodes, with the highest incidence due to Rhinovirus. Notably, hMPV and Influenza A/H3N2 were associated with the highest in-hospital case fatality ratios. These findings underscore the need for heightened surveillance, seasonal preparedness, and targeted immunisation strategies—especially for vaccine-preventable infections like Influenza and RSV—to mitigate the burden of respiratory viral infections in this vulnerable population.

The complete article can be accessed online via the VirusDisease journal.